Patriots notebook: Too much offense for their own good?

Should the New England Patriots have censored themselves Sunday? Did their 52-7 rout of the Washington Redskins contain too much offensive material for good taste?

Glen Farley

Should the New England Patriots have censored themselves Sunday?

Did their 52-7 rout of the Washington Redskins contain too much offensive material for good taste?

“I understand questions involving, ‘Did we run up the score?’” linebacker Tedy Bruschi said during his weekly appearance on Boston radio station WEEI on Monday. “Were we supposed to take it easy on them? I just don’t understand that. I don’t want anybody on my team – offense, defense, special teams – to take it easy on anyone just because of what the score is. Play hard, play to win, no matter what the situation.”

No one is about to accuse the Patriots of not doing that.

Not after:

1. Leading by 38 points and faced with a fourth-and-one at the Washington 7 nearly four minutes into the fourth quarter, the Patriots eschewed a short field goal, picked up a first down on Tom Brady’s sneak and proceeded to score a touchdown when the quarterback flipped a 2-yard pass to wide receiver Wes Welker to make it 45-0. Thus ended a drive on which Brady had gone deep down the right sideline to wideout Randy Moss for a 35-yard gain.

2. Leading by 45 points and faced with a fourth-and-two at the Washington 37 midway through the quarter, the Patriots opted against attempting what would have been the longest field goal of Stephen Gostkowski’s career or simply punting the ball away. They picked up a first down on Matt Cassel’s 21-yard pass to wide receiver Jabar Gaffney and proceeded to score a touchdown when the quarterback scrambled in from the 15 to make it 52-0.

While Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs said he didn’t find anything offensive in the Patriots’ actions, linebacker Randall Godfrey did. The 12-year NFL veteran told NBC.com that he voiced his objections to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after the game.

“Randall’s entitled to his opinion,” Belichick said during his midday news conference at Gillette Stadium on Monday.

“The first fourth-down play was fourth-and-one on the 7,” Belichick saiid. “It’s kick a field goal and make it 41-0 or go for it on fourth down. So those are your two options.

“The second was fourth-and-seven on the 38 or whatever it was, a 55-yard field goal … Kick a 56-yard field goal with the score like that? Those are your options.”

Practice squad moves

As anticipated, the Patriots have brought back defensive lineman Santonio Thomas, signing him to their practice squad Monday.

Thomas was waived by the Pats last Thursday, a move that ultimately freed up a roster spot for five-time Pro Bowler Richard Seymour, who returned from the knee injury that had placed him on the physically unable to perform list for the first seven games of the season. The first-year player has been credited with five tackles this season.

The team freed up a spot for Thomas on the practice squad by releasing offensive lineman Pat Ross, a Boston College product.